¿Está preparada Costa Rica para el 5G Privado? Competitividad y Ciberseguridad en nuestro entorno

Abstract

The fifth mobile generation (5G), and in particular non-public networks (NPN), have become key enablers of Industry 4.0, advanced automation, and the massive integration of IoT/AIoT in productive sectors, especially when combined with deterministic capabilities and low latency through TSN, slicing, and edge computing (Hancke et al., 2024; John et al., 2024; Lorincz et al., 2024; Satka, 2023; Sun et al., 2024). In parallel, the literature warns that the deployment of private 5G exposes new attack surfaces and requires Zero Trust frameworks, strict segmentation, continuous monitoring, and security architectures aligned with 3GPP TS 33.501 (Alnaim et al., 2025; ETSI/3GPP, 2024; Kang et al., 2023; NIST, 2020; CISA, 2023; Zhang et al., 2024, 2025). In Latin America, countries such as Brazil, Chile, and Mexico have advanced ahead of Costa Rica in 5G auctions and commercial deployments, including private network pilots in industrial sectors, which creates competitive pressure and widens digital adoption gaps (GSMA, 2024; Hannig & Núñez, 2025; OCDE, 2024; Rech et al., 2025). In this context, Costa Rica concluded in 2025 its spectrum auction for 5G, with a model that combines monetary payment and deployment commitments for radio base stations at national and regional levels, within the framework of the General Telecommunications Law (Law 8642) and public policies that include the National Telecommunications Development Plan and the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2023–2027, as well as a specific Cybersecurity Regulation for 5G and higher-generation services (MICITT, 2023; República de Costa Rica, 2008; SUTEL, 2024–2025). This article develops an integrative narrative review (2023–2025) on private 5G, TSN, slicing, and cybersecurity, with an emphasis on the Costa Rican case. It analyzes regional competitiveness, the strategic objectives of national 5G development, the advantages of regional 5G infrastructure, the country’s potential in the face of political and bureaucratic barriers, the relevance of reforming Law 8642, and the degree of regulatory and cybersecurity readiness for private 5G networks, triangulating technical, economic, and regulatory findings (World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025; ENISA, 2023; GSMA, 2024).